Mayoke no Yume
by hane.no.yuki
Summary: Haydn has always lived a normal life. All that changes when her best friend's dead sister gives them a magical amulet that can traverse across worlds! Along the way, they make new friends, and fall in love... repeatedly! OCxVarious, multiple anime/manga.
1. Chapter 1 The Girl in Black Robes

I had always lived a normal life. Yep. I was a normal High School Girl, with normal classes, normal teachers, and somewhat normal friends. Life was boring, but I was happy. Then, it happened. The day...

The girl in black robes came.

My friend, Miranda and I had been walking to her house from a nearby park, chattering away carelessly, unaware of the strange adventure that lie ahead. Suddenly, a loud roar erupted, and SHE appeared.  
She would have been passed off as normal, if not for the strange black kimono robes she wore. She was about as tall as Miranda, with shoulder length black, curly hair and crystal blue eyes.  
Those eyes fell on Miranda and held her gaze, if only for a moment.  
Miranda froze, a stunned look painted across her wide-eyed face. "K-Kirby? Kirby!" She called.  
The girl, presumably "Kirby" gazed in awe at Miranda. "Miranda? You can see me?!"  
The roar erupted once again, louder this time, and a huge, red-and-white masked monster tore around the corner of the street.  
Kirby's eyes flashed over to me. "You! Take this and get yourself and Miranda out of here!" She called. With one swift movement, she flung a small, glistening object at me and tore off toward the monster, drawing a long katana and yelling, "BANKAI!"  
I peered into my hand to see that Kirby had thrown a small crystal amulet at me. It glistened softly, and when I looked close, I could see what looked like a small candle flame burning inside of it.  
"KIRBY!" Miranda screamed. She began to run after her, but I reached out and grabbed her shirttail, knowing that running after Kirby meant running after the monster as well.  
"Miranda! Don't be stupid; do you have a death wish or something?!" I yelled at her.  
She turned back and gazed at me with an empty, lost look in her eyes, full of huge tears. "Hayley! Let me go, that's my SISTER over there!" She yelled.  
I gasped. "I thought your only sister was Kelly!" I yelled.  
"I- What the hell?!" She yelled, looking at my hand. The amulet had now erupted into a large fire that engulfed my entire hand. Strangely enough, though, it didn't hurt, and the fire was white, with a bit of a blue glow to it. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and the flame leaped, spinning and dancing in circles around the two of us, Miranda and me. It spun faster, inching and scooting closer and closer, and finally closing in on us, and then, the world was dark.

Darkness. All I could see was a vast abyss of darkness. I was Falling, spiraling, falling into the endless darkness. I normally liked the dark; it was comforting in a way, but now, I was scared. I screamed "HELP!"  
There was a small glimmer of light, right in front of me, and a warm hand came over mine. I looked a little closer at the light, and realized that it was a reflection... from a pair of eyes. "Who are you?!" I called.  
"Hayley? Hayley, wake up!" Miranda's voice called. The eyes closed in front of me and mine opened.  
"What did you DO?" Miranda yelled.  
"Wha?" I mumbled.  
"Where did that... thing bring us?" Miranda asked.  
I looked around and asked myself the same thing. Then, a loud voice rang out.  
"MATSUMOTO!!!" it called.  
Suddenly, a red-haired, large breasted woman walked into the room where we had landed. "NOOO! TAICHOU!" She yelled. Then she saw us.  
We stared at her.  
She stared at us.  
"Ummm... Taichou? Do we have guests?" She called.  
"No. Why?" said an approaching voice.  
In walked a young boy, no younger than Miranda and I, Walked in. He had wild, spiky white hair and stunning turquoise eyes. I couldn't help but blush when he looked over at me.  
"Who are you?" He asked sternly.  
I gasped. "You're wearing the same clothes as that girl!" I yelled.  
"Answer the question." The woman said.  
"Wait, Matsumoto." The boy said. He kneeled down so he was inches away at eye level from me. "What girl?" He asked.  
"The girl who gave me this..." I said, resting a hand on the amulet, which now hung around my neck.  
The boy's eyes widened. "That amulet..."  
Miranda leaped up. "PLEASE! Do you know a girl named Kirby?!" She asked, pulling on the boy's shirt.  
Matsumoto piped in. "She's the new shinigami in the 6th division! Renji told me about her. Real sweetie, funny, really sarcastic."  
"Yes, I know her." The boy said. He looked back over to me. "Do you know what that is?" He asked, a quiet, menacing tone in his voice.  
"N...no... I just know it brought us here." I replied, looking at the crystal amulet, who's flame was now a like tiny, calm candle.  
"It's called a Mayoke. It taps into your spiritual energy and uses it to teleport the user. Only after years of training will you be able to control where it takes you, though." He said.  
"Mayoke..." I repeated.  
Miranda grabbed the boy once more. "I don't care! Where's my sister?!" she yelled.  
"Keep your hands off me!" He said, slapping her.  
It was silent. The air was still. Miranda was on the floor, holding her injured cheek.  
Finally, the boy spoke. "You two aren't from the Soul Society, are you? If you were, you'd know better than to even lay a finger on a captain. If you were shinigami, I probably would have-"  
"Shut the hell up!" Miranda yelled.  
"M-Miranda..." I trailed off.  
"I know, I said not to be mean to people who are mean to you, but physical injury is ENTIRELY different!" She said, lunging at the boy.  
By reflex, I caught her and held her from attacking the boy.  
He sighed. "Matsumoto, get either Kuchiki-taichou or Abarai-fuku-taichou here immediately." He said.  
"I-I am Hayley... Smith." I said, lying about my last name. " This is Miranda, my cousin." I said.  
"I am Hitsugaya Toushiro. You will refer to me as Taichou, or Hitsugaya-kun. Understood?"  
"Yes sir." I replied.  
Suddenly, a man with long, spiky red hair walked in, wearing another one of those black kimonos. His hair was in a high ponytail, making him look a bit like a red pineapple. There were tribal tattoos across his forehead, and he wore a white headband, almost completely concealing them.  
"Hitsugaya-taichou, you wished to see me?" He asked.  
"Renji, has Kirby-chan ever mentioned a "Miranda?"" Hitsugaya asked.  
"Miranda is Kirby's sis-" Renji paused. His gaze fell upon Miranda. "Kirby? Did you get a haircu- Hey, WAIT A SEC! You're Miranda!!!" He yelled, pointing at Miranda.  
"Where is my sister? Please, just tell me!" Miranda cried.  
"She's out on a mission. It'll take her a few weeks, she has to travel across different dimensions to complete it." Renji replied. "It's a test to see how strong she is. It's a mission worthy of a captain."  
"Different... dimensions?" Miranda squeaked.  
"Hey, maybe we can follow her." I said.  
Renji laughed. "Not Possible! You'd need a Ma... is that a Mayoke?"  
"Kirby gave it to us." I said.  
"Okay, you know how to work it, right?" Renji asked.  
"N-not really..." I replied.  
"The usage of a certain word or phrase activates its power. For now, if you activate it, it'll probably just move you around randomly. Hell, ya' might even just end up across the room!" Renji laughed.  
"I-I think it might be-" I started.  
"Wait!" Miranda called. She stood up slowly and took my arm. "Renji, stand over there. We don't want you caught up in this."  
Renji moved without protest.  
I looked at Miranda, and she nodded. " ... it's SISTER." I said.  
The Flame leaped out of the Mayoke, and once more began to dance and swirl in that strange, beautiful circle around us.  
"Be careful!" Renji called.  
"Try not to pass out this time." Hitsugaya said.  
"BYEEE~!" Yelled a now drunken Matsumoto.  
"BYE!" Miranda and I called back.  
Now, on to the next adventure!


	2. Chapter 2 Life after Death

"Well, at least we didn't pass out this time." Miranda said optimistically.  
"U-umm... brother?" said a small voice.  
"Yeah, I know." replied another, more tired one. A boy only about my height stood over us, sucked in a huge breath, and yelled "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, FALLING OUT OF THE SKY RIGHT IN FRONT OF US?! YOU ALMOST KILLED ME!!" He yelled.  
"Ouch-uh" Miranda said, laughing.  
"Hey, wait... do we know you?" asked the small voice, which turned out to be a young boy, almost identical to me, but still similar to the other boy in a way.  
Memories came flooding back to me.

FLASH

I was a young girl, with golden blonde hair, and hazel eyes, next to my older brother, Edward, and my twin, Alphonse. My mother and I were the only girls, so we felt responsible for them. My father smiled kindly down at us.

FLASH

Mother was crying. I didn't know why, I just held her, trying to help. She just sobbed harder and pulled me closer.

FLASH

It was nighttime, and I couldn't get to sleep. I heard a "THUMP" outside our room, in the hall, and went to go see what it was. There was father, walking down the hall, carrying a suitcase. Being the childish little girl I was, I had a habit of following people out our door and down the road, then turning back and running home. So I followed my father, all the while asking where he was going. When we got to the point where I would always turn back, he lifted me onto his shoulder and kept walking on.

FLASH

There was a dark colored 'gate' in front of my father and I. I gazed at it, horrifyed.  
"This is it, ____, this is our destination." He said.  
"Father, I'm scared!" I cried, clutching his coat.  
"You'll be alright." He cooed, soothing my fears.  
The gate cracked open, and hundreds of tiny, dark hands clawed and grasped at me. I shreiked, "Father! Father, help!"  
But he didn't seem to hear. He, too, was being dragged into the darkness.

FLASH

"Hayley? Hey, you okay?" Miranda asked.  
I looked up from my memories, showing the many tears that streaked my face.  
"Hey! What happened? You just blanked out and started sobbing."Miranda asked.  
I ignored her and looked to the younger boy. "A-Alphonse?" I stuttered. "Edward?"  
"You... know us?" Alphonse asked.  
"GASP! She's a stalker!" Ed yelled.  
"I'm... your sister... I think..." I muttered.  
Alphonse looked shocked. "HAYDN? That... is that YOU?!"(pronounced Hide-in) He cried.  
"Al!" I yelled, crashing into him. The sobs erupted, harder than before.  
"H-hey... what about me?" Ed asked.  
I giggled through my tears. "Edward..."I uttered, squeezing him slightly.  
"Where's mom?" I asked.  
The boys grew silent. My face fell. "M-mother... is she...?"  
"She got sick and died, a little while after you and dad left." Alphonse said. Edward made a strange noise, somewhere between a choke and a sob.  
"Why'd you go with him? Why did you leave?" He asked.  
"I... I followed him out the door, like I do with everyone, and then, he just grabbed me when I tried to turn around." I replied. "I'm-I'm sorry... Ed... Al... mother..." I began to cry, this time from pure sadness and grief.  
"Hay...dn?" Miranda asked. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, THAT'S gonna take some getting used to." She joked.  
Typical Miranda. Always the comic relief.  
Regardless of this somewhat bitter thought, I chuckled and hugged her, then hugged Al again.  
"Hey, can I hug you too?" Miranda asked. "I feel left out."  
Al blushed. "Who are you?"  
"I'm Miranda Mason!" She said. "I'm one of Hay...Haydn's best friends." She exclaimed happily.  
"Oh, okay." He smiled.  
Miranda squealed and jumped on us, sending us all to the ground. I managed to crawl away, and when I looked back, Miranda and Alphonse were in an accidental lip-lock!  
"Mi-Miranda?!" I exclaimed.  
"AL!" Ed yelled, laughing. "Way to go, you got a girl!"  
At this, Miranda leaped up and rolled up her long sleeves. "What was that?!" she yelled.  
She tried to punch him, but he caught her fist in one hand, with the clang of metal on metal as Miranda's ring clanked against Ed's hand.  
"Ed!" I stuttered. "Auto-mail?!"  
He looked at me, at first a little surprised, then looked down sadly.  
Al put a hand on my shoulder. "We'll explain later. Let's get to Russell and Fletcher's, we set up to stay there."  
"What about Winry?" I asked.  
Ed looked at my with a 'Duh' look on his face. "Does it LOOK like we're anywhere near Risembool?!"  
I sweat dropped. "O-oh..."

We came across a small house in the town known as Xenotime. It was a quaint, peaceful town, however large it was. Edward knocked on the door, and it swung outward, knocking down the porch steps. I laughed out loud at my older brother's misfortune.  
He grunted, getting to his feet. "Of all the buildings in Xenotime, your's is the only one who's door swings out when you open it." He said.  
The boy in the doorway laughed. "You really can't get used to that, can you, Ed?"  
I turned my head to see a boy, a little taller than Al and I, with light blonde hair that fell over his right eye, his left eye completely exposed in all its sky-blue glory. He wore a simple white shirt and pants, with suspenders, which were a clothing article I hadn't seen in a VERY long time.  
His blue eye turned to me, and lit with both surprise, confusion, and an emotion I had never seen before. He smirked a flirty, joking kind of smirk, and walked over to me, taking mine and Miranda's hands.  
"And who are these LOVELY ladies?" He asked.  
Edward bopped him with his Auto-Mail arm. "Touch my sister and you're DEAD, Tringham." He spat venomously.  
The boy spun his head, his bangs slightly lifting to give me a glance of his hidden blue eyes. "Sister?!" He exclaimed.  
I bowed quickly. "M-My name is Haydn Marie Elric, I'm Alphonse's twin!" I blurted, trying to hide my blush.  
He smirked, looking back at Edward, and bent down on one knee. "My apologies! I had no idea I was dealing with an Elric." He said, kissing my hand playfully. Edward irked. "My name is Russell Tringham, and the boy in the doorway is my younger brother, Fletcher."  
I looked and saw the small boy cowering shyly behind the doorframe. I smiled.  
"Hello, Fletcher." I said tenderly. He stepped out a bit, smiling, and giggled.  
"Hi!" he said happily. He turned to Russell. "Brother, you said there was a surprise... is she your girlfriend?" He asked innocently.  
Miranda lost it. She almost died of laughter, having to lean on Alphonse, who was holding in a fit of laughter, for support. Edward was flipping out, with words such as, "DO YOU THINK I'D EVER LET HER DATE YOU?! YOU MUST BE NUTS!" I was covering my blush, and Russell had his head down, shaking from his held back laughter, and Fletcher looked at us, both innocent and confused.  
"No, Fletcher, she's not." Russell said, still chuckling. "Look over there." He said, pointing at Miranda and Al.  
"Oh, so SHE'S your girlfriend!" Fletcher exclaimed.  
Now, it was MY turn to laugh as Miranda sputtered out angry gibberish.  
"No, Fletcher, I'm single." Russell smirked.  
"Oh..." Fletcher said, a little sad. "You've never had a girlfriend."  
Now everyone but Russell and Fletcher was laughing.  
"Over there, Fletcher." He said with a calm, you-know-I'm-mad-but-not-showing-it tone. "Who is that?"  
Fletcher was quiet.  
"Hi, Fletcher." Al said.  
"ALPHONSE?!" Fletcher exclaimed. "You got your body back!"  
"Yeah!" Al laughed.  
"...back?" I asked, glaring at Ed.  
He looked down sadly. "We'll explain. Just not now."  
Russell stood up. "Come inside! It's getting dark, and the food will get cold."  
At this, Miranda's head shot up to stare at Russell. "FOOD?" she asked.  
"Uh... yeah. Brother cooks!" Fletcher cheered.  
"FOOD!" She yelled, darting through the front door.  
Russell looked to me, a bit worried. "Don't worry, she's not a Glutton, she's just hungry."  
And we entered the tiny, quaint house of Xenotime.


	3. Chapter 3 Brothers

After dinner, Miranda, Ed, Al, Russell and I went into their living room, and Fletcher went up to bathe.  
"Now, Haydn." Ed began. "We promised an explanation, and now, you'll get one." he sighed. "After you and dad left, mom became really, really sick, and passed away. Al and I both knew we probably couldn't make it without her, so we-"  
"Edward!" I cried, immediately understanding what happened. "You performed human transmutation?!" I yelled.  
"Bless you." Miranda said jokingly.  
I glared at her. "It's NOT a joke!" I yelled. I looked back at Edward. "At what cost?! What made you think you could bring mom back?!"  
Edward looked down. "My left leg and right arm."  
I looked to Al. "And you, Alphonse?!"  
"My... my whole body..." He said sadly.  
"You... I can't believe you, Edward!" I yelled. "You gave up eveything you had chasing an impossible fantasy?! Equivalent Exchange, Edward! Don't you realize that nothing can be equivalent to the life of a human?! Once a life is lost, you can't get it back! There is no equivalency to all the memories, the experiences, the feelings of a human being's life! You can't just throw together a few ingredients and have a living person standing there!" I screamed, tears forming in my hazel eyes.  
The stress was overwhelming. The room began to spin, and then turn dark. The last thing I remember is Ed, Al and Miranda standing up in shock, Fletcher standing at the top of the stairs in his pajamas, and Russell running toward me, catching me as I fell.

I awoke to the sun shining through a window in a small, neat room with plain white walls. I looked out the window, and I could see almost all of Xenotime.  
I heard a small gasp come from the doorway, and then, "Brother, she's awake!"  
Fletcher yelled, and I heard the 'thump, thump, thump," of someone climbing hurriedly up the stairs. Russell appeared in the doorway, a relieved, happy look on his face.  
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He joked. "Feeling better?"  
"Yeah, thanks." I said, rubbing my head.  
"Yeah, you should be glad I let you use my room for that long." He smiled.  
"This is your room?" I asked. "Wait... how long was I out?!"  
"About two and a half days." He said, smiling. "You sure can sleep, what with Miranda yelling at you to "Get the hell up before she made you," and, "I won't lose you, too." What was all that about, anyways?" Russell asked, sitting on the bed.  
"When Miranda was young, her mother passed away, leaving her with just her father, and I recently learned that she once had siblings, too." I said sadly. "Now that we're away from home, and can't find our way back, I'm all she's got, until we go home, and we don't know how." I muttered, grabbing the Mayoke, which still hung around my neck. "This is our only way home, and I can't even control it." I looked down "I... I feel so useless, like... I let Miranda down."  
I felt a hand go around my shoulders, and pull me into someone's chest. Russell rested his head on mine, and said, "You haven't let anyone down, it's not your fault."  
Then, I heard something from the doorway drop to the floor. Russell and I looked and saw Miranda standing there, jaw agape, in the doorway, my now clean clothes at her feet.  
She stared for a minute, then slowly turned and walked out of the room. "Al...!" She yelled.  
"Oh, god." Russell said, putting his hand to his head.  
I hugged him playfully. "We should mess with Ed, and make him think we're dating."  
He smirked at me. "I like you." he said.  
I was pretty sure he was referring to my mind, but for some reason, I blushed anyways.  
As if on cue, Ed burst into the doorway. "WHAT'D YOU SAY, 'YA BLONDE CREEP?!"  
"THERE'S the pot calling the kettle black." Russell joked.  
"Come to think of it..." I started. "There's only one person in this house who isn't blonde... and that's Miranda." I said.  
Ed and Russell stared at me for a minute.  
"That was really irrelevant." Russell finally said.  
"Random." Ed agreed.  
"Y-Yeah..." I said, blushing.  
"Hey!" Ed called, his face lighting up in realization. "You know any alchemy?"  
"Well... we all practiced it a bit when we were little, but I'm probably REALLY rusty, and not all that good." I said.  
"Well, then..." Ed grinned. "We'll teach ya'. You AND Miranda. Al and I will teach you."  
"And I'll be there to make sure no one kills anyone." Russell said, then started coughing.

"COUGH COUGH *pipsqueak* COUGH COUGH"  
" ... I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." Ed said in his quiet, mad voice. He turned back to me. "We'll start tomorrow."

And so the days flew by, and they turned into weeks, which turned into months, and Miranda and I learned more and more about Alchemy, and Russell and Ed even taught us some self defense! I learned how to compress water molecules in the air, then use alchemy to turn it to ice, and use ice attacks similar to the flame attacks of Brigadier General Roy Mustang, whom I met when he visited the Tringham's to check on Ed a while back.  
Then one night, Miranda came into our room with a serious look on her face.  
"Haydn." she said sternly. "You remember why we started travelling, right?" She asked.  
I did. We were trying to find her sister, Kirby. In the four months that had slipped by, I had forgotten.  
"We have to go soon." She said, her eyes downcast.  
"But Miranda! My brothers, and Fletcher, and... Russell..." I trailed off.  
"I KNOW!" She yelled. "I know... I... I want to stay with Al... but I have to find my sister." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
"... when do you want to leave?" I asked.  
"In at least a week." She said. "I want to find out how to tell Al how I feel."  
"Yeah... okay." I said. I opened the door to go tell everyone good night...  
... and Fletcher was leaning against the door, his eyes wide in shock.  
"Fletcher?" I asked. I bent down and hugged him.  
"D... d..." He stuttered.  
"What is it, Fletcher?" I asked.  
"DON'T LEAVE!" He bawled. "Why?! Why do you wanna go?!" He cried.  
"We... we have something we need to take care of." I said. "Can you keep it on the down-low for me? I want to find the right way to tell everyone." I whispered.  
"O-Okay..." He whimpered.  
"Thank you, Fletcher." I said. "Good-night."  
"Night..." He said sadly.  
Russell came up to me, looking a little shocked. "Wow, Fletcher looks down. What was that all about?"  
"... nothing. I'll tell you later." I said, trying to walk away. "Good-"  
He caught my wrist and spun me around, and I slammed into his chest. His arms went around my waist and pulled me closer. "Good night." He said.  
Finally, he let go, and all I could do was stand there, awestruck in the hall, as he walked away and turned into the doorway to his room.  
I heard a rustle from behind me, than an "AWWWW!"  
I spun around, blushing madly. The bedroom door was still open, and Miranda, who was on her bed, had seen the whole thing.  
"M-Mir-Miranda?!" I stuttered, shocked.


	4. Chapter 4 Secrets

After dinner, Miranda, Ed, Al, Russell and I went into their living room, and Fletcher went up to bathe.  
"Now, Haydn." Ed began. "We promised an explaination, and now, you'll get one." he sighed. "After you and dad left, mom became really, really sick, and passed away. Al and I both knew we probably couldn't make it without her, so we-"  
"Edward!" I cried, immediately understanding what happened. "You performed human transmutation?!" I yelled.  
"Bless you." Miranda said jokingly.  
I glared at her. "It's NOT a joke!" I yelled. I looked back at Edward. "At what cost?! What made you think you could bring mom back?!"  
Edward looked down. "My left leg and right arm."  
I looked to Al. "And you, Alphonse?!"  
"My... my whole body..." He said sadly.  
"You... I can't believe you, Edward!" I yelled. "You gave up eveything you had chasing an impossible fantasy?! Equivalent Exchange, Edward! Don't you realize that nothing can be equivalent to the life of a human?! Once a life is lost, you can't get it back! There is no equivalency to all the memories, the experiences, the feelings of a human being's life! You can't just throw together a few ingredients and have a living person standing there!" I screamed, tears forming in my hazel eyes.  
The stress was overwhelming. The room began to spin, and then turn dark. The last thing I remember is Ed, Al and Miranda standing up in shock, Fletcher standing at the top of the stairs in his pajamas, and Russell running toward me, catching me as I fell.

I awoke to the sun shining through a window in a small, neat room with plain white walls. I looked out the window, and I could see almost all of Xenotime.  
I heard a small gasp come from the doorway, and then, "Brother, she's awake!"  
Fletcher yelled, and I heard the 'thump, thump, thump," of someone climbing hurriedly up the stairs. Russell appeared in the doorway, a relieved, happy look on his face.  
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He joked. "Feeling better?"  
"Yeah, thanks." I said, rubbing my head.  
"Yeah, you should be glad I let you use my room for that long." He smiled.  
"This is your room?" I asked. "Wait... how long was I out?!"  
"About two and a half days." He said, smiling. "You sure can sleep, what with Miranda yelling at you to "Get the hell up before she made you," and, "I won't lose you, too." What was all that about, anyways?" Russell asked, sitting on the bed.  
"When Miranda was young, her mother passed away, leaving her with just her father, and I recently learned that she once had siblings, too." I said sadly. "Now that we're away from home, and can't find our way back, I'm all she's got, until we go home, and we don't know how." I muttered, grabbing the Mayoke, which still hung around my neck. "This is our only way home, and I can't even control it." I looked down "I... I feel so useless, like... I let Miranda down."  
I felt a hand go around my shoulders, and pull me into someone's chest. Russell rested his head on mine, and said, "You haven't let anyone down, it's not your fault."  
Then, I heard something from the doorway drop to the floor. Russell and I looked and saw Miranda standing there, jaw agape, in the doorway, my now clean clothes at her feet.  
She stared for a minute, then slowly turned and walked out of the room. "Al...!" She yelled.  
"Oh, god." Russell said, putting his hand to his head.  
I hugged him playfully. "We should mess with Ed, and make him think we're dating."  
He smirked at me. "I like you." he said.  
I was pretty sure he was referring to my mind, but for some reason, I blushed anyways.  
As if on que, Ed burst into the doorway. "WHAT'D YOU SAY, 'YA BLONDE CREEP?!"  
"THERE'S the pot calling the kettle black." Russell joked.  
"Come to think of it..." I started. "There's only one person in this house who isn't blonde... and that's Miranda." I said.  
Ed and Russell stared at me for a minute.  
"That was really irrelevant." Russell finally said.  
"Random." Ed agreed.  
"Y-Yeah..." I said, blushing.  
"Hey!" Ed called, his face lighting up in realization. "You know any alchemy?"  
"Well... we all practiced it a bit when we were little, but I'm probably REALLY rusty, and not all that good." I said.  
"Well, then..." Ed grinned. "We'll teach ya'. You AND Miranda. Al and I will teach you."  
"And I'll be there to make sure no one kills anyone." Russell said, then started coughing. "COUGH COUGH *pipsqueak* COUGH COUGH"  
" ... I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." Ed said in his quiet, mad voice. He turned back to me. "We'll start tomorrow."

And so the days flew by, and they turned into weeks, which turned into months, and Miranda and I learned more and more about Alchemy, and Russell and Ed even taught us some self defense! I learned how to compress water molecules in the air, then use alchemy to turn it to ice, and use ice attacks similar to the flame attacks of Brigadier General Roy Mustang, whom I met when he visited the Tringham's to check on Ed a while back.  
Then one night, Miranda came into our room with a serious look on her face.  
"Haydn." she said sternly. "You remember why we started travelling, right?" She asked.  
I did. We were trying to find her sister, Kirby. In the four months that had slipped by, I had forgotten.  
"We have to go soon." She said, her eyes downcast.  
"But Miranda! My brothers, and Fletcher, and... Russell..." I trailed off.  
"I KNOW!" She yelled. "I know... I... I want to stay with Al... but I have to find my sister." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
"... when do you want to leave?" I asked.  
"In at least a week." She said. "I want to find out how to tell Al how I feel."  
"Yeah... okay." I said. I opened the door to go tell everyone good night...  
... and Fletcher was leaning against the door, his eyes wide in shock.  
"Fletcher?" I asked. I bent down and hugged him.  
"D... d..." He stuttered.  
"What is it, Fletcher?" I asked.  
"DON'T LEAVE!" He bawled. "Why?! Why do you wanna go?!" He cried.  
"We... we have something we need to take care of." I said. "Can you keep it on the down-low for me? I want to find the right way to tell everyone." I whispered.  
"O-Okay..." He whimpered.  
"Thank you, Fletcher." I said. "Good-night."  
"Night..." He said sadly.  
Russell came up to me, looking a little shocked. "Wow, Fletcher looks down. What was that all about?"  
"... nothing. I'll tell you later." I said, trying to walk away. "Good-"  
He caught my wrist and spun me around, and I slammed into his chest. His arms went around my waist and pulled me closer. "Good night." He said.  
Finally, he let go, and all I could do was stand there, awestruck in the hall, as he walked away and turned into the doorway to his room.  
I heard a rustle from behind me, than an "AWWWW!"  
I spun around, blushing madly. The bedroom door was still open, and Miranda, who was on her bed, had seen the whole thing.  
"M-Mir-Miranda?!" I stuttered, shocked.


	5. Chapter 5 Departure

Miranda burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "You should see your face!" She cried  
"Th-Thats not funny!" I shrieked, blushing. "It didn't mean anything! At all!"  
She shut up. "To who?" She asked. "You? Or Russell?"  
I sighed. "How could he ever feel the same?"  
"Love's confusing, honey, you'll get used to it." She said.  
"How? We're leaving! Chances are, I'll never see him again!" I cried.  
Miranda sighed. "You have a point."  
Just then, Ed swung the door open. "Shut up and go to sleep." He snapped.  
Miranda threw her pillow at him, slamming him in the face.  
"Take THAT, Pipsqueak!" She yelled triumphantly.  
"Hey, you're SHORTER than me, you can't call me small!" He yelled.  
"Yeah, Miranda, that's mean." I said. "...He's not short, he's fun-sized."  
Miranda lost it. She burst into another fit of laughter, and Edward glared at me as I smiled innocently back at him. His scowl soon turned to a smile of his own as he put his hand on top of my head.  
"You're lucky you're cute." He said, bending over to pick up the pillow. "Thanks for the pillow, Miranda." He joked.  
"NOOOO!" Miranda whined, storming across the room toward Ed, who was in the doorway now. She stomped on his foot, causing him to drop the pillow. She then picked up the pillow, slammed the door shut, ran over to her bed and sat with a huff, hugging her pillow. "MY P'low."  
I laughed. "Miranda, you're nuts."  
"In case you haven't noticed, we both are." She said. "Now go to sleep, my little nut."  
The lights went off, and a few moments of silence ensued. Then..."  
"Miranda?" I squeaked. "What Kinda nuts ARE we, anyway?"  
She laughed. "The awesome kind."  
"PEANUTS!" I cheered.  
"EW!" She yelled.

The next day, Miranda and I woke to a banging on the roof.  
"STOOOOP!" She moaned. "Lemme sleep!"  
I got up out of bed and went out to see what was going on. There was Alphonse, standing on the roof, doing something unrecognizable from my point of view.  
"Al? Brother!!! What are you doing?!" I yelled.  
He quickly spun, loosing his footing and slipping down the side of the roof. At the last minute, he reached out and quickly grabbed the gutter. He hung there for a moment, sighing in relief. Then, there was a snap, and he swung off the side of the house, gutter still in hand.  
"Oh yeah, Russell's gonna LOVE this." I said sarcastically. "What were you doing up there? Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." he replied. "I dunno about the cat, though..." he said.  
"Cat?" I asked.  
"What do you think I was doing on the roof?" He asked. "A cat got stuck up there."  
"Alphonse!" I laughed. "Cats are excellent climbers AND jumpers. It'll get down on it's own." I said.  
Sure enough, when I turned around, there sat a small, brown tabby cat, looking extremely pleased with itself for making the stupid human fall off the roof. But... this cat looked familiar...  
"Destiny?" I asked. "Kitty-girl?"  
The cat meowed in reply, standing up and trotting over to me.  
"Is it really you, Destiny?" I cried. "Oh, I missed my kitty!" I yelled, picking her up and scratching her behind the ears.  
"Your kitty?" Al asked.  
"From the other world." I replied. "The one I lived in while I was gone. I don't know how she got here, but I'm so glad, I missed her so much!" I cried.  
"So... we're keeping her?!" Al asked hopefully.  
"If Ed OR Russell thinks they can get me to give up my kitty, they SO have another thing coming." I growled.  
"FLETCHER! MIRANDA! WE HAVE A KITTY!" Al yelled excitedly, running back into the house. I heard Edward groan.  
"Al, we CAN'T keep a cat! I've told you!" He yelled.  
"It's not MINE, it's Haydn's!" He replied.  
Immediately I heard the screen door on the house swing open, and out came Edward, followed by Russell.  
"Haydn, Al said you had a-"  
"MY GUTTER!" Russell yelled, gazing in horror at the wreckage. The gutter hung loosely by one nail off the side of the house. "What did you do to the gutter?!"  
"Ask Al." I said. Russell took off, storming into the house.  
"Now, the cat..." Ed said. "Look, I realize how you must feel about it, but we just can't-"  
"Ed, she's already my cat." I interrupted. "From the world I lived in when I left here."  
He blinked in surprise. "How'd she get here?" He asked.  
"I dunno. Al saw her on the roof, and he-"  
"So that's the gutter story." Ed mumbled.  
"Ed, she's already mine. Why should I have to get rid of her?" I asked.  
Ed was quiet. After a few minutes, he turned around toward the house. "I'm NOT cleaning up after it." He said sternly.  
I put Destiny down onto the ground next to me and tackle Ed in a flying hug. "Thank you so much, brother! I love you!" I cheered.  
"... I love you to, sis." He said, smiling. "I don't ever want to loose you again, okay?" He said.  
I gasped. Miranda and I were leaving in a few days... I was leaving my family again, all to find a girl I had never met.  
But she was Miranda's sister, and Miranda's family meant everything to her. I was the only way that Miranda could ever hope to find her sister, because I was the only one who could control the Mayoke.  
"Haydn?" Ed asked. "Something wrong?"  
"No." I lied. "I'm fine. I'm gonna take Destiny inside and get her some food and a bath."  
At the word "Bath," Destiny cowered behind Ed's leg.  
Ed laughed. "Alright, don't torture the poor thing." He said.  
"C'mon, kitty, let's go." I said lifting her up. She gave Edward one last pleading look before disappearing into the house to her doom.

Later that night, I sat with her in my lap as a storm raged outside. Russell sat next to me on the couch, Fletcher on the floor in front of us, Edward, Alphonse and Miranda on the couch across from us, and all of us around a warm fire.  
Russell reached over and scratched Destiny behind the ears, and she purred. Suddenly, the lights fizzled out.  
"Oh, this is brilliant." Miranda said sarcastically, leaning into a tomato-faced Alphonse.  
"Relax, the storm just knocked the power out." Russell said, relaxed.  
I froze up quickly as the fire blew out from a seemingly source less gust of wind.  
"...Well, now THAT was weird." Russell admitted. "Fletcher, where did we put the candles?" He said, starting to get up from next to me.  
Impulsively, I reached out and grabbed his arm. He jumped and turned to stare at me, his blue eyes the only thing visible to my hazel ones.  
"What's wrong?" He asked.  
"I-I j-just, I... I don't like the dark... please stay..." I stuttered.  
Miranda cooed, "AWWWW!"  
Russell smiled. "Alright." He said, sitting back down. HE put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his chest. I reached up and held both his arms.  
"Thanks." I said.  
"Why don't you like the dark?" He asked.  
"You know how much of a klutz I am." I said. "I'm just scared that I'll trip and hurt myself, or someone else, and I just don't like being alone." I said.  
"But we're here." Miranda and Al said simultaneously.  
"Not what I meant." I said.  
"It doesn't matter, just relax, okay?" Russell said. "It'll be alright."  
I smiled and relaxed, burying my head into his chest.

I woke up the next morning to more banging. I sat up, once more in my bed, and ventured outside to see what was causing the noise.  
There was Russell, hammering the gutter back up to the roof.  
"Morning!" He called. "How'd you sleep last night?"  
"Fine, thanks." I replied.  
"I'm just cleaning up Al's mess, it shouldn't take to much long- OW, DAMNIT!" He yelled as the hammer hit his finger. He swung back and lost his balance, falling off the ladder...  
... and onto me.  
I opened my eyes, and he had me pinned by either hand to he ground.  
"R-Russell?" I asked, trying not to blush. "Are you alright?"  
"Y-Yeah..." He said, opening his clear blue eyes. It was then he realized how close our faces were, and his eyes widened.  
"That's good..." I mumbled, my eyes starting to drift slowly shut.  
"Yeah... guess it is..." He replied, leaning in a bit.  
"Hey, Russell!" called Ed from inside the house.  
Russell was off me in a flash, helping me to my feet by the time Ed got outside. "Hey, you done with the gutter yet?" Ed asked  
"Nah, not yet." Russell replied. "Hit my finger with the hammer."  
"Ow." Ed commented. "Haydn, Miranda and Al are peeling the potatoes for lunch. They might need some help."  
"Okay..." I said, walking past him toward the front door. As I opened the door, I heard one last comment to Russell from Edward:  
"Stay AWAY from my sister."

The departure day came much too soon. Everyone was gathered outside the Tringham's house, saying their goodbyes.  
"Haydn." Edward said. "Take this."  
He handed me a red coat with the emblem of a snake and a cross on it.  
"Alphonse and I both wore it for a couple years each. It's your turn, now. put it on, let's see how it looks." Edward said, smiling.  
I slid the coat on over my plain black dress; a perfect fit. I smiled up at my older brother. "Thank you."  
I turned to Russell, who looked away. "Russell? Is there anything you want to say?" I asked.  
"..." He was quiet.  
"... I see." I said. "Well then, goodbye."  
I walked past him, my chest heavy with pain, and went to hug Fletcher.  
"I'll miss you!" Fletcher cried.  
"I'll miss you too, Fletcher." I said sadly. "But just keep smiling for me, okay? I would never want you to be sad because of me. Promise?" I asked.  
"Y-Yeah..." He sobbed.  
I turned to walk away, toward Miranda, when Fletcher called out to me.  
"Russell will miss you too!" He said. "Even if he doesn't act like it, he will."  
I froze. "Then... tell him what I told you, okay?" I said grimly.  
"Yeah..." Fletcher said. "I love you, Sister."  
I started crying. "I love you too, little brother..." I sobbed.  
I looked up just in time to see Al plant a wet one on Miranda, her face as red as a tomato.  
"I love you, Mira-chan." He said. "Even if you leave me now... we'll always be together, right?"  
She started sobbing, too. "Yeah, we will, I swear it... I love you too, Al!"  
I smiled. "Miranda... do you need more time?" I asked.  
"N-No... we need to go now, before we get stuck here..." She said, pulling away from a lost-looking Alphonse.  
I picked up my bag, in which my cat was sitting, her head poking out of the side, and grabbed Miranda's arm. We said the magic word, and the air filled with light and magic once again.  
"Good-Bye!" Fletcher called.  
"We love you, Haydn!" Edward called.  
"And I love you, Miranda!" Al called.  
I looked to Russell, hoping, waiting for him to say something, anything, to bid us farewell. His head was down, his eyes shrouded in shadow.  
At last, he looked up, a solitary tear making its way down his cheek. "Don't do anything stupid, and take care of each other, okay?!" He called.  
I gasped, my eyes widening, and started crying. "Okay!" I yelled. "Russell, I luh-"  
And we were gone.


	6. Chapter 6 Strange Games

I have to say, our landing wasn't as pleasant as the last...

... especially when I ended up landing on my twin brother.

"OW!" He yelled.

"A-Alphonse?! What the hell?!" I yelled.

He laughed nervously. "I kinda... ran in at the last minute." He said.

"AL!!!" Miranda yelled, tackle-hugging him to the ground.

"OW!!!!" He yelled, still hurting from the rough landing. Destiny meowed quietly and nudged my hand in an attempt to get my attention.

It wasn't her that stole my mind, though. Now that Alphonse was here, chances were, he'd never get home.

The sound of several footsteps tore my from my thoughts, and I turned to see four women throwing flowers in the air.

"Welcome to Outo country :heart: !" They shouted joyously, smiling.

"Um... thanks..." I muttered.

"From your clothing, I assume you are all travellers from another world!" One of them said.

"Uh, yes." Alphonse said, bowing. " My name is-"

"Have you registered yet?" one of them interrupted.

"Um... registered?" I asked.

"That's not good! We have to take them to city hall immediately!" They cried, dragging us along.

"H-Hey!" Miranda cried.

Next thing we knew, we were at a small booth, where a young, curly haired girl stood.

"Welcome to Outo country." She said. "Please fill in your names here."

"Sure..." I said, walking to the counter. As I wrote, she turned to Alphonse.

"What kind of jobs would you like?" She asked him.

"We... have to have jobs?" He asked.

"Well, no, but you need one to earn money, and you can't do much without money." She replied.

"Good point." Miranda muttered. "I'll be a waitress... well, just put me at a restaraunt."

"I'll work with Mira." I said.

"I want a job where I can get some info... anything in mind?" Alphonse asked.

"Eager to learn? There IS a job you could take..." She paused. "But it's quite dangerous!"

Alphonse smiled. "Well, let's hear it."

"Become an Oni Hunter."

...

Silence.

"A... what now?" He asked.

"An Oni hunter. Those who kill the demons known as Oni. They are enemies of the country of Outo. We must defeat them." She said. "The stronger Oni you defeat, the more you are paid."

"Sounds good." Al said. "Sign me up!"

"Al..." Miranda muttered.

"I'll be alright. I've fought stronger enemies before." He assured her. "Nothing to worry about."

"Now, Miss Haydn, Miss Miranda, please check around the cafe's and restaraunts in town to find where you would like to work." The girl said.

"Thanks!" Miranda and I said in unison, and walked off with Alphonse.

The first cafe we came to was small, but very cute, and tidy, called the "Cat's Eye," It was owned and operated by a man by the name of "Big Kitty,".

I chuckled a bit as I walked up to a tall, handsome young man. "Excuse me," I stammered, trying to hold in chuckles. "Do you know...where-teehee- I could find... Big kitty?!"

"Yeeess?" He asked.

I stopped immediately. "YOU'RE Big Kitty?" I exclaimed.

He chuckled. "Not quite what you expected, I assume? Yes, that's me."

Just then, a small, cute girl burst out of a pair of French doors. "Fai-san! I'm so sorry, I slept in again!" She cried.

"It's alright, Sakura-Chan! Look, we have a visitor." He said.

"Oh!" The girl exclaimed. "Welcome to the Cat's Eye! Can I get you anything?" she asked.

"Actually, my friend and I are here looking for jobs. We were thinking waitress or kitchen hand, and we thought we'd check this place out." I said.

"Well, then, you're hired!" Big Kitty exclaimed.

"Wh-Wha?!" I yelled. "No application or anything? Just like that?!" I asked.

"Just like that! The more the merrier, right?" He asked.

"Uh... sure..."

"When can you start?" He asked me, smiling.

"Uh..." I looked through the glass door to Miranda, who stood outside, waitning. "...after lunch...?"

"GREAT!" He exclaimed happily. "But!!! Breakfast first! Breakfast is on us, but Lunch is out of your paycheck, m'kay?" He laughed.

"Sure thing... uh, boss..." I said. WOW, this was AWKWARD.

"Call my Fai." He said. "Fai Flowright."

"Uh... I'm Haydn Elric." I said. "My friend out there is Miranda Mason. She's the other one you hired without meeting."

"Ah! She seems so nice!!!"

"Yea, see if you can say that AFTER you hear her sarcasm." I mumbled. Fai chuckled.

"And the boy out there?" He asked.

"That's my twin brother, Alphonse. He won't be working here, he has... [u]another[/u] job." I said. "One that worries me a bit..."

"Oh?" Fai asked. "And that is?"

"He's a new Oni Hunter."

"Oh, we should introduce him to the Puppy Pair! I'm sure they'd be glad to make another Oni Hunter friend!" Fai said happily.

"And this... "Puppy Pair"... are they Oni Hunters, as well?" I asked.

"Yes, very strong ones as well. They're getting to be famous." he said, shifting his gaze to the door. "Why don't we invite those friends of yours in? I'm sure they're hungry, as well."

"Yes, I'm sure they are..." I walked to the door, motioning Miranda and Alphonse in.

"Well? What'd Big Kitty have to say?" Miranda asked.

"...He didn't even know my name and he hired BOTH of us. I think he's cracked." I said bluntly.

"So where is the old geezer?" Mira asked.

"More like young, handsome blonde." I said, pointing to Fai.

"Hello, Miss Miranda~! It's a pleasure to meet a new employee! Haydn said you'd be willing to start after lunch! Is that alright?" Fai said.

"Um... ah... eh...?" She stuttered.

"GREAT!" He exclaimed. "Now, like I told Miss Haydn, breakfat is on us!"

Just then, Sakura walked out, holding a tray of steaming tea and food.

"Ah, speaking of breakfast, let's eat!" Fai said, sitting at a table.

"Wow, he's really something..." Miranda whispered into my ear.

The door opened, and to men walked in, one tall, with wild black hair and crimson, blood-red eyes, the other much shorter, with meesy brown hair and muddy brown pools.

"Ah~! Big Puppy, Little Puppy, you've returned!" Fai said.

"I'M NOT A DOG, SO STOP REFERRING TO ME LIKE ONE!" The black haired man said.

"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura exclaimed happily, running to the shorter of the two.

"We're home." He said. "Sakura-hime, how are things in the cafe?"

"HIME?!" I thought. "She's a PRINCESS?!"

The expression on Miranda's face said she was thinking the same thing as she stared at the young and beautiful princess.

"Kuro-puu, these are Haydn and Miranda, they're my new employees, so please treat them nicely." Fai said, pointing to us.

The tall man examined us a minute more before turning away. "No matter what this idiot tells you, my name is Kurogane. Not Kuro-puu, not Kuro-woof, not Kuro-pipi and CERTAINLY not Big Puppy." He said, cringing on the last nickname.

"Awww, Kuro-woof, I think Big Puppy is an ADORABLE name!" Fai said, a little whiney.

"I'M A NINJA! I'M NOT [b]SUPPOSED[/b] TO BE ADORABLE!" He yelled.

I smacked my hand on my forehead. "A princess... a ninja... next thing ya' know, Fai'll be a wizard and Syaoran'll be a CLONE." I said.

"As a matter of fact..." Fai said, looking at me with a sly grin on hie face. "I AM a wizard. As for Syaoran, no one knows much about his past."

"Oh great." I said. "I'm in Lala-land!" I cried.

Miranda laughed. "Actually, I think it's pretty cool that all you guys are things our country never believed in, and that you're all really different."

"REALLY? Thank you!" Yelled a childish voice from nowhere.

Alphonse looked shocked as he stared at a little white ball of fluff on the table.

"Is it me, or did the white puffball just talk?" He asked.

Said puffball then leaped up on his head, effectively causing Alphonse to fall over off his chair and onto the floor.

"Mokona's name is Mokona Modoki! But just call Mokona Mokona, okay?" it said.

"Sure." Miranda said.

I didn't have time. I fainted.


	7. Chapter 7 Smile

Miranda shrieked at the top of her lungs, and Alphonse stared in wonder.

"What?!" I yelled. "What are you screaming about?"

"YOU GOT A HAIRCUT!" Miranda yelled.

The kitchen door flew open, and Fai rushed out. "What? Let me see!" He yelled.

It was true. That morning, after Syaoran and Kurogane left, and before anyone else awoke, I had gone out and cut my hair waist- length golden short, just above my shoulders.

"What?" I asked. "Is it so wrong?"

"It..." Fai stuttered. "It's..."

Suddenly, fake tears streamed down his face. "Your beautiful hair! It's all gone..." He ran his hands through my considerably shorter hair. "Now what will I play with when I'm bored?"

I laughed. "Is that all you were worried about?" I said, patting the magician's head.

"It looks great, Onee-chan!" Alphonse said.

"Yeah, it's really cute!" Miranda added.

"Your hair..." Fai whined.

I had built a strong bond with the [strike]very strange[/strike] man. He was funny, and kind, and would always play with my hair out of boredom. It was weird, but I felt so... at ease around him. People wondered about us, I never let ANYONE touch my hair, besides my mother and my father, but... I didn't mind with him. He was always so happy, carefree... or so it seemed.

I saw through his mask. through the fake smile, the forced laughs, the phony attitude, behind it all, there was pain. There was fear. There was shame. I never confronted him about it, but I wanted to know what hurt him so, what caused his fear, and what he was so ashamed of. I wanted...

I wanted to be let inside.

Inside his heart, his soul, his world. I wanted to be let into his world so he could come into mine. Very rarely, he would let out a real, sincere, genuine smile, and that was all I needed to make me happy.

When the realization hit my that I had fallen head-over-heels in love with him, I wasn't sure how to take it.

At first, I was ashamed of myself, for turning away from Russell. I knew it would hurt him, so why did I go and fall for someone else? But... I then realized, it couldn't be helped.

After, I was excited. What if I finally found someone to go to in case I never saw Russell again? The thought thrilled me to the core.

Then, the sadness set in. Chances were, once we left this world, I would never see Fai OR Russell ever again.

I knew all these things. But I had to ask myself... did I even care?

"OH!" Sakura exclaimed as she entered the room. "Haydn-chan, your hair! It's adorable, you look great!" She said.

"Thanks, Princess." I said using my pet name for her, though it wasn't far off.

"Well..." Fai began, standing up. "I'll just have to make do with what I've got, then, right?" He said, twirling my short hair around his index finger before walking into the kitchen. "Now, staff, let's make breakfast and set up to open!"

Only Miranda saw the blush burning across my face.

HOURS LATER...

"Um... what's this, Fai-San?" Sakura asked, pointing to a large black item on the floor in the restaurant.

"No way... a Grand Piano?!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, I bought it for the cafe. I thought it would make things look nicer." Fai said, walking up next to me.

"How does it work?" Sakura asked.

"You hit one of the keys, and it makes a noise." Fai said.

"Can you play, Fai-San?" I asked.

"Yeah, play it Fai! Play!" Mokona cheered from atop my head. Miranda and Alphonse peered out of the kitchen, also curious to how Fai fared in music.

"Well... okay." He said, sitting on the bench. We all held our breath for a moment, and he sat up straight, looking regal and professional in his position. Then... he played three notes.

"Hehe... I'm no professional musician..." He said, chuckling.

I laughed. "That's fine."

"Let's get back to work." He said, taking Sakura by the arm into the kitchen. "Come one, Haydn-chan!"

"I'll be right there!" I called. I stared at the piano for a moment before sitting on the piano bench and playing, softly at first, the louder, louder, and began to sing...

[color=green]I've been looking in the mirror for so long.

That I've come to believe my souls on the other side.

Oh the little pieces falling, shatter.

Shards of me,

To sharp to put back together.

To small to matter,

But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.

If I try to touch her,

And I bleed,

I bleed,

And I breathe,

I breathe no more.

Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.

Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.

Lie to me,

Convince me that I've been sick forever.

And all of this,

Will make sense when I get better.

I know the difference,

Between myself and my reflection.

I just can't help but to wonder,

Which of us do you love.

So I bleed,

I bleed,

And I breathe,

I breathe now...

Bleed,

I bleed,

And I breathe,

I breathe,

I breathe-

I breathe no more.[/color]

"...Beautiful." Fai whispered into my ear. I yelped and jumped off the piano bench. "F-Fai-san..." I stuttered.

"You really have a talent, Haydn." He said, flashing one of his genuine smiles. "You're the only one who can make me smile like this..."

"W-wha...?" I stuttered. I reached toward him, slowly, when a loud thump came from the kitchen.

"Hmmm? Wonder what that was...?" He asked. "Let's go see."

Sakura was on the floor, asleep, with Alphonse and Miranda at each of her sides.

"She fell asleep at the sink." Miranda said.

"That's alright, we'll take her to the couch to rest." Fai said, lifting her up.

"How's Sakura?" Mokona asked a little later, in the princess's room. I sat in a chair by the entrance, Mokona sitting on Sakura's pillow and Fai in the doorway, holding a large blanket.

"She's fine, she's just sleeping." Fai said, laying the blanket over the sleeping girl. "She tried to stay awake all day, huh?"

"Fai... when we were in the great lake country, you said that Syaoran could smile and be happy, and no one would blame him for it." Mokona said.

"Yeah, what about it?" Fai said, bending over close to the small fluffy creature.

"It's the same for Fai: No one will hate you for it. Sakura...Syaoran...Kurogane... no one." Mokona finished.

Fai was silent for a moment, and I watched on. It seemed as though Mokona... had also seen through Fai's facade. Fai lifted Mokona high into the air. "But I'm always happy!" He sang.

"But... when you smile, you don't mean it... your mind is somewhere else." I said, sighing. "Mokona's not the only one who noticed."

His eyes widened. "...you two are sharp." He finally said, a bit of amusement in his voice.

"It's one of Mokona's 108 secret techniques!" Mokona cheered. "I know everyone is lonely. Fai. Syaoran. Kurogane. We all fell lonely. But you know...being together makes it less lonely... Sakura makes us feel warmer. This is what Mokona thinks." Mokona said.

Fai picked up the white, rabbit-like Mokona and held it to the crook of his neck. "...That would be nice..." He said.

The entrance bell chimed, and Fai immediately piped up. "WELCOME~!" He cheered. His expression grew serious when he saw who had entered.

There stood a tall, mysterious man, with his right eye glazed over, lighter than his left. He smiled, though it was closer to a smirk. He wore a cloaked, a hood over his dark hair.

"Mokona, Haydn... stay with Sakura-chan..." Fai uttered, just low enough for only us to hear. Mokona and I nodded and moved over to sit by Sakura. "What can I do for you?" Fai sang.

"I've been told there are Oni hunters living here." The man said.

"That's right, but they're out right now!" Fai said.

"Aren't you one of them?" The man asked, still smiling.

"No, I just run the cafe." Fai laughed.

"But you have magic powers." The man said.

The air in the room grew tense and hung, heavily, like a cloud of suspicion. I froze.

"...So do you." Fai said. "Now... what do you want with the Puppy Pair?"

A dark cloud arose from behind the man, swirling around him. "I want them to disappear." The cloud formed into Oni, who began to reach toward Fai.

"Fai-san!" I yelled, standing up from my seat next to Sakura.

"Sit back down!" He yelled. "Don't put yourself in the line of fire!" He turned back to the man, another fake smile plastered on his face. Might you be Seishirou-san, the one who taught Syaoran-kun how to fight?"

"You know Syaoran?" Seishirou asked.

"Yes, we're travelling together!" Fai chirped cheerfully.

"Travelling between worlds, I presume... Syaoran doesn't have the power to travel between worlds, which means he made a deal with that Space-Time witch." Seishirou mumbled to himself.

"The same with you?" Fai asked. "You seem to have some pretty strong powers. Perhaps your power to traverse worlds lies in your right eye?" Fai asked.

Seishirou chuckled. "You're pretty sharp. Yes, I exchanged my real right eye for this one." He said, raising a had to his face.

"However, that eye is restricted in it's number of uses. How many times it can warp, perhaps?" Fai said.

"Yes. I've had to use it sparingly... all for the sake of meeting those two." Seishirou said as one of the Oni lunged to attack Fai.

"FAI!" Mokona and I screamed. The kitchen door banged. Fai had locked it to keep Miranda and Alphonse out of danger.

"Stay with Sakura-chan!" He yelled. I remained standing, while Mokona hunched closer to the sleeping princess.

"Your leg hurts, doesn't it?" Seishirou asked. "Bet you could escape if you used your magic."

"BASTARD!" I yelled.

"No need for such language, Haydn-chan!" Fai chirped. "I've already decided to stop using my magic." He said to Seishirou.

"Then, I guess it can't be helped." Seishirou retorted. The Oni again lunged at Fai, this time, too fast for Fai to dodge.

"Good-bye." Seishirou said without emotion.

"FAI!!!" I howled, falling to my knees. There was no trace of him left. No body. No blood. Just his tattered bow-tie. "No..." I turned to Seishirou. "You bastard...you... you don't deserve to LIVE!" I screamed, clapping my hands together. I used my alchemy that Ed had taught me, freezing all the water in the air, and on the ground. The front of the cafe was now akin to a frozen tundra.

"What's this?" Seishirou asked. "Another mage?"

"Alchemist..." I said. "You'd do well to remember it." I said, clapping my hands again. The ice shot forward and pinned him to the wall. I lunged, an icy blade in my hand, but when I went for his neck, all I hit was the frozen wall.

Seishirou was gone, as was Fai.

"NOOO!" I shrieked, falling to the icy floor. The reality of the situation was as cold as the air, the walls, the floor around me. Miranda and Alphonse didn't know what had happened, and I didn't have time to tell them before I fell, unconscious, on the frozen floor.

I awoke to Syaoran, Mokona and Miranda prodding at my side.

"You're alright!" Miranda squealed. "We thought that you were dead!"

"I might as well be." I said.

The air became tense, but not like when Seishirou had first entered.

Seishirou! I had to find him! He had to pay for what he'd done. I had to kill him.

I let out a scream of agony and leapt up, attempting to run out of the cafe, when a pain shot down my leg and I fell. On the cold, tile floor, I began to sob uncontrollably.

"It's my fault... I let him die... I couldn't save him... I..." I cried.

Miranda hugged me. "It's not your fault... whoever it was that killed him-"

"Seishirou." I spat. "That was his name."

Syaoran froze. "S-Seishirou-san did this?!"

"That bastard has no right.... he doesn't deserve to live." I spat bitterly. "But... I have no will to."

Miranda slapped me across the face, hard. I remained expressionless.

"Don't you DARE say that! You're my friend, I need you! What the hell do you think would happen to me if you died? We'd never get home! We'd never find Kirby! No one would gain anything from you dying! Don't you get it?!" She yelled. "You're being stupid! If you're pissed off, get off your ass and DO something about it!"

"No." I said. "I...have no will... for ANYTHING anymore..."

"What the hell happened to the happy little girl who'd do anything you asked her to?!" Miranda asked. "What happened to Haydn?!"

I picked up a pointy shard of ice before looking at my friends one last time. "She died with him." And I lodged the shard into my neck.

I heard a light tapping, then to sound of a suction cup being released. I opened my eyes, looking around. "Is... is this heaven?"

"No... it's an amusement park." said a familiar voice from behind me.

"FAI!" I yelled, crashing into him in a tight embrace.

"Ow,owowowowowow OWWW!" He howled. "You're crushing me!"

"What do you expect, you idiot!?" I yelled. "I thought you were dead!"

"Well, techni-" He didn't finished. I had swiftly laid my lips across his, softly.

"So I can say I got to kiss you." I said. "Before you go off and die again."

He was blushing furiously, but smiled. "Glad you did."

Syaoran then walked up, a knowing smile on his face.

"Oh, crap." I said. "Did you-"

"Yep." Syaoran smiled.

"And-" Fai stuttered.

"Uh-huh." Syaoran broke into a grin. "Any OTHER secrets I should know about?"

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THAT ONE!" I yelled.

"Anyways, we're all dead in Otou Country, but since I died first, I got a bit of info." He said. "Otou doesn't really exist. We're in Edonisu Country's Fairy Park. We ended up here after leaving Jade country. Otou Country is something called "Virtual Reality", where everything is just an illusion."

"It was... a video game?!" I growled.

"Eh?" Syaoran asked.

Then, a long-haired woman walked up. "My name is Chitose."

"She's the park's creator!" Fai chirped.

My lips brushed his cheek. "Hush..." I said. "Let the woman talk."

"I want to know about the man who's interfering with the Dream Capsule's systems. You know him, correct?" She asked Syaoran. "Please tell me all you know. If things go on like they are, the game will not end like a normal game does." She said. "It's dangerous. In virtual reality, when you are injured, you're not hurt in reality. But then, that man appeared. If this keeps up, the dream may just become a reality."

There was a crash, and we turned to the computer screen to see Oni, ravaging the park, destroying it.

"Fai..."I uttered, taking hold of his hand.

"Don't worry, Haydn-chan." He said. "You'll be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"But... I'm worried about you." I said.

His eyes widened for a moment, then he bent down to kiss my forehead. " It'll be alright. I promise." He smiled before turning back to the screen. "Look, it's Kuro-puppy." He said, pointing to the skilled ninja.

We then went outside to meet our friends from Otou Country, Ryuou, Soma, and a few others, and watched on in awe as Kurogane fiercely battle Seishirou. Mokona then shot something out of his mouth to land between the quarrelling warriors, effectively scarely the living hell out of both of them. Then, his eyes opened (kinda creepy sight, if you ask me)

"Sakura-chan's feather!" Mokona yelled.

Suddenly, the streets of Otou began to materialize around Seishirou, all from the power of a single feather. A black cloud swirled in the sky, and from it appeared a woman.

"The I-1 Oni has appeared!" Seishirou yelled.

"You found me!" The woman said.

"Oruha-san, from the Clover!" Fai yelped in surprise.

"Have you heard of the idea of eternal life?" Seishirou said to the woman.

"Yes, actually." She replied.

"Then, I suppose there's no need to beat around the bushes." He smiled. "Is your real name Subaru?" He asked.

"You're wrong."

"What do you know about the Vampire twins?" He asked.

"Nothing. I don't know." She replied. "Granting eternal life is when the strongest player defeats the I-1 Oni and is granted invincibility in the world of Otou, they are unkillable under all circumstances."

"I see...I was wrong again. Well, if those two aren't here, then there's no need to stay any longer." Seishirou said.

"Wait, Seishirou! I need that feather!" Syaoran yelled. "It belongs to someone very important to me!" Syaoran pulled out Hiein "If I don't use this now, I'll be losing my chance... so I'll gamble my life on it!" He said, charging at Seishirou.

"He got away!" I hissed.

"Well, it's time to leave this world..." Fai said, looking back at me. "I'm sorry."

"Actually... we're world-surfin', too!" I smiled. "Maybe... maybe we'll meet again."

"Someday." Fai said. "It's no maybe. It's a promise, Haydn-chan." He smiled, for real. "We'll meet again."

"Yeah!" I cheered, hugging him, and planting a wet one on his lips. "See ya' around, Fai-Fai!" I called, tugging the Mayoke.

"Bye!" We all called. Destiny leapt into my arms, and we began to teleport.

"Love ya'!" I called.

"Love you too~!" He called back, earning a REALLY funny look from Kurogane.

And we were off.


	8. Chapter 8 Wind

The landing in the newest world was softer than our others, to say the least. We landed in a small, misty meadow.

"Well," Miranda said, standing. "This place is pretty nice."

"Plenty of water for ice alchemy." I said bluntly.

"You don't get it... look at this place. It's so beautiful!" Miranda said, turning her back from me and throwing her arms apart. "Or are you sulking about leaving Fai?" She asked, turning back to face me.

"...they say there's someone for everyone, right?" I asked. "That's just in one world. What if... for each world, there's someone different you want to spend your life with?" I said.

"You can only REALLY be with one of them." Miranda said.

"No, I can't!" I yelled. "Because we have to go back home after this whole damn thing's over! What are we gaining from this, besides finding your sister, who apparently doesn't want to be found, 'cause she's runnin' all over the damn place to avoid us?! And why the hell did she give ME the damn amulet?! You're the one searching for her, YOU should have it! But, no, the stupid thing won't come off!" I screamed.

"Haydn..." She muttered.

"NO!" I shreiked. "NOT ME! There's NO happy ending for me! I fall in love, over and over again, and my heart just keeps breaking, soon, I won't HAVE a heart! It'll be THAT shattered! DAMN IT!" I cried, falling to my knees.

Miranda looked hurt for a minute, then her expression turned dangerously serious. "If I had known you felt this way the whole time... I'm sorry, but I can't comfort you. I can't change your opinion about my sister, or take the amulet from you." She said. "But I CAN leave you alone. You won't have to deal with me anymore. One less burden for you." She said, stalking off into the woods.

I sat alone, sobbing, suddenly wondering why Alphonse hadn't landed with us, when a slightly feminine voice rang out.

"It seems like the last thing you need right now is to be alone." It said.

My head snapped up in surprise. "Wh-who's there?!" I shouted.

A boy stepped out of the bushes, his silky brown hair hanging down to his waist, and donning a pink kimono. He carried with him a basket of what looked like healing herbs. "I'm Haku." He said. "Are you alright?"

"No." I said. "I'm not."

"Hm, I guessed as much when that other girl stormed past me in the woods, mumbling about a "Stupid bitch"." He said.

"So that's what she really thinks about me..." I said. "Have you seen my twin brother? He looks alot like me, but his hair's longer? I need to find him and get out of here." I said.

Haku shook his head. "I haven't, sorry. Look, you don't look like you're from around here. do you need a place to stay?"

"Yeah, that would be nice." I said.

"Come with me. I hope Zabuza doesn't mind." He said, taking my hand. A shiver ran down my spine, and I yanked my hand away.

"Sorry..." I said, faking a smile as he stared at me, confused. "I can't get in too deep... I can't let it happen again." I thought.

"Well... let's get going, then." Haku said, smiling at me.

We arrived at a large, shadowy, mansion-like house, shrouded in the forest by large trees. Haku gently took my hand.

"You probably don't want to pull away this time." He said gravely.

I didn't jerk away. In fact, I moved a bit closer from fear. There were large, dangerous-looking men staring at us from almost all directions, some glaring at Haku, some staring pervertedly at me. I took hold of Haku's arm, and he rested his free hand on top of mine. He led me into a plain, unexciting room with a single bed in it. On the bed was a man, darker than the rest, but wounded.

"Zabuza... I brought a girl..." Haku said.

"Haku, we don't have time for your hormones and girls." The man said sternly.

"N-no, it's not hormones!" Haku stuttered, blushing. "She was alone, and she was crying, and she didn't have a place to stay, and-"

"What is that?" Zabuza asked, eyes on me now. "On your neck."

"This?" I asked, gripping the Mayoke. "I-it's a family heirloom. It's a necklace that belonged to my great-great-great-great grandmother's grandmother." I lied.

The man smirked through the many bandages he wore. "You're lying." He said, reaching towards me "Give it to me... give me... the Mayoke!" He growled.

I stepped back, putting an arm in front of me, as if to sheild myself. "H-Haku..."

"Do as he wishes." Haku said sternly.

"I-I can't!" I cried. "It doesn't come off..."

Haku reached for my neck, for the Mayoke, but was blown across the room in a flash, slamming into the opposite wall.

"Haku!" I cried, starting to run toward him. Zabuza's hand latched onto my arm in an iron death-grip, and I shreiked.

"That's quite an interesting necklace you've got there." He said. "One who's powers could be very useful. I'll make a deal with you: You stay with me, and use that Mayoke whenever and wherever I tell you, and you can keep your life." He said darkly.

I froze, eyes wide. "Miranda... Al... anyone, please, help me!" I thought.

Zabuza's hand flew up to my throat in a flash. "So what's it gonna be? You serve me? Or I kill you and take the damn thing myself?"

"I-I'll help." I said. "I'll work for you."

He released my neck slowly. "There's a good girl." He said, smirking again. "Haku, take her with you. She'll stay with you." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Haku replied.

As soon as we got in the hall, I took off, running at full speed down the hallway. I found a balcony of sorts, that overlooked an ocean, and sat down, staring out at the view.

I felt something cold, sharp at my neck. "You can't escape." Haku's voice said from behind me.

"I wasn't trying to." I said. "I keep my deals, forced or not."

The cold feeling left my neck, and Haku sat next to me. "Why did you run?"

"I needed someplace to go to think about my situation." I said.

"How to get out of it?" Haku asked.

"No. I told you, once I make a promise, I try to keep it in anyway I can." I said. "What about you? What'd he force you into?"

"He didn't." Haku said. "It was my choice to come here, with Zabuza." He said. "When I was very young, I discovered that I had a Kekkei Genkai, a bloodline trait, that only my clan carries. I got it from my mother, so my father didn't know. The villagers, including my father, feared those with Kekkei Genkai, and so hated them as well." He said, pausing to breathe in.

"My father found out. He killed my mother, and when he tried to kill me, I instinctively used my ability, killing him and all the villagers. I didn't know where to go, or what to do. Then, Zabuza found me. He said that if I worked for him, if I was his tool, then I could stay with him. I could live. It was my choice to make. And I chose to come with him. He trained me to do things I never could have done on my own. I became a Shinobi." Haku finished.

"A...killer? An assassin?" I asked, shocked. "That's the kind of life you want to live?"

"I want to live my life serving Zabuza." He said. "I am his tool. Nothing more."

"That's wrong!" I cried. "People aren't tools! You can't just use them, and throw them away when they're broken!"

"Really?" He asked. "It seems that's what your friend did to you."

I froze, about to slap him, when I stopped. That WAS how it seemed. Miranda had stuck with me to hop across worlds, then left me alone in the woods when I had broken down and cried.

"I'm sorry." Haku said. "That was uncalled for."

"No..." I said. "You're right... she just used me to get around, then tossed me aside when she was done." I said, tears leaking. "Thats... all I am to her. I stupid bitch who happens to have a magical, world-hopping amulet from her sister."

Haku wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. "Go ahead and let it out. It's alright."

I nodded and began sobbing furiously into his kimono, muttering from time to time that I was just a piece of trash (LOL Ulquiorra!) He would pat my back softly and say it was okay. By the time I was done, the sun was resting atop the seawater, colors of all hues blazing across the evening sky.

"Done?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah." I stuttered. "Thanks, Haku." I smiled, planting a peck on his cheek without thinking.

I jerked back, and we stared at each other, wide-eyed, for a few minutes, until Haku relaxed, his eyes returning to normal size. He leaned over and placed one on my cheek.

"You're quite welcome." He said, leaning back. "Now, let's get to our room."

"OUR room?!" I exclaimed.

"It WAS mine, but Zabuza said you stay with me, remember?" He smiled.

"...Oh. Yeah. That." I said, blushing furiously.

"C'mon." He said.

"OH!" I yelled. "I was wondering... what's your bloodline trait? I mean, what's it do?"

"...We'll save that for later." He said, still smiling. "Let's go."

"...Yeah." I smiled, following the young boy to our quarters.

Somehow, I liked the ring that the "our" gave that sentence.


	9. Chapter 9 Hello

I stood patiently by Haku as Zabuza sat, holding an apple in his hand. With one hand, Zabuza crushed the apple effortlessly.

"You're almost entirely healed." Haku said.

"Yeah. We'd better go soon, Haku, Haydn."

I only recently learned what he meant by "go". He, Zabuza, had been hired by the notorious Gatou to assassinate Tazuna the Bridgebuilder, who was trying to build a bridge to the mainland from my current location, the Hidden Village of Mist, on the island nation of the Land of Waves. If the bridge was finished, the village would have the ability to trade and hire more shinobi, which meant that Gatou's reign over the village would end. Secretly, I hoped that the bridge would be finished.

But Zabuza had unfinished business with the bridgebuilder. Well, not the bridgebuilder himelf, but his bodyguards, shinobi from the Leaf Village who had, apparently, whooped Zabuza's ass the last time Zabuza tried to assassinate Tazuna. Now, Zabuza was getting even.

"Haydn." Zabuza said. "You stay off to the side of our battlefield, in case of emergency, if we need to warp."

"Sir..." I began.

"Are you talking back?" He asked sternly.

"N-No sir!" I said, wincing from the cut I'd recieved LAST time I "talked back" to Zabuza. "It's just... I can't control where it goes. It takes many years to master it... I've only had it for..."

The realization hit me, I had spent a year and a half away from home.

"For...?"

"A Year and six months, sir." I said.

"...I wish you had said that before." Zabuza said. "No matter. As long as it works, we'll be fine."

I sighed in relief.

"But stay out of our way." Zabuza warned. "I'm won't hesitate to kill you if you step in the way of an attack."

"Understood, sir." I said.

"Let's head out." Zabuza commanded, walking out of the room, Haku and I in tow. This was gonna be one Hell of a fight.

We arrived at the bridge, and Zabuza decided to warm up by slaying a few of the workers. Then, we all went into hiding, waiting for the enemy to arrive.

The old bridgebuilder arrived, a group of people behind him.

"They're...kids?!" I thought, shocked.

One of them looked to be in his twenties, tall, with windblown silver hair, and a mask, with his hitai-ate covering one of his eyes. Next to him was a boy, with raven-black hair and dark, threatening, alert eyes, darting around the massacre scene before him. Behind him was a pink-haired girl, green, expressive eyes in her pretty head, also staring at the blody chaos. Then, I saw them.

With the group were Miranda and Alphonse.

"Mira...Al..." I whispered. Haku cupped a hand over my mouth.

"Shhh..." He shushed.

Zabuza leapt down from next to us onto the bridge, creating water clones for the younger ones to "play" with.

"My go." Haku said, leaning back and pecking my forehead. "Stay here."

" No." I said, earning a look of shock from the boy. "I've got business with that brunette over there." I said, pointing to Miranda.

"... Zabuza will be pissed." He said, a frown creasing his gentle face.

"HE can be pissed at me, you go ahead and fight." I said.

He nodded, putting his mask on before turning back to me. "Be Careful."

"You too, Haku. You're making it out of this, whether I do or not." I said, looking him in the eye through the small slits in his mask.

"...I wouldn't want to leave without you." He said, dashing off.

I stood in shock. "What...does that mean?" I wondered. I shook off me shock and clapped my hands, creating an ice-saber from the mist in the air. This was MY kinda battle ground. I leapt down in front of Miranda and swung the ice sword, stopping right next to her neck.

"Hello." I said, glaring.

"H-Haydn?!" She exclaimed. "What are you DOING?!"

"What do YOU care? I'm a stupid bitch, remember?!" I said, stepping back and swinging the sword down towards her head. She leapt back and clapped her hands together, drawing a sword of her own from the concrete of the bridge.

"You're insane!" She cried as I leapt at her again, out swords clashing. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"YOU ARE!" I shrieked, swinging my sword again. She blocked.

"Wh-what?!" She asked, leaping back as I sent a column of ice flying at her. "WHY?!"

"I never meant ANYTHING to you, did I?!" I shouted, charging at her. I caught her off guard and sliced a deep cut in her left shoulder. "I was just your little teleporter, your transportation, your little taxi cab, right?!"

"NO!" She screamed, blocking more of my attacks.

"Yes!" I said, smiling insanely. "I'm right! I was never anything more than your inter-dimensional taxi cab, and once I lost my usefulness, you tossed me aside and left me in the forest to die!"

"NO!" She shrieked. "NONE OF IT'S TRUE!"

"It is!" I insisted, tears streaming down my face. "You lost interest, you had no use for me, so you threw me away, like some old piece of shit!" I screamed. "You only needed me for the Mayoke, to find Kirby!"

"What about before that!?" She yelled.

I stiffened. "What...?" I whispered.

"Before the Mayoke, and before you even knew who Kirby was...? What was that about? We were best friends, we didn't need the Mayoke. We didn't need magic, or alchemy, or Russell or Fai!" She exclaimed. "How could I have used you for the Mayoke if we didn't even know it existed?"

I fell to my knees, sobbing. She was right. We had always been best friends, since we had first met, we had been almost inseperable. The Mayoke hadn't come between us... my stupid childish mind did.

"I-I..." I hiccuped from my crying. "I... you're right... I'm so-so sor...sorry." I said between sobs.

I felt arms wrap around me. "It's alright. I overreacted when you started crying in the woods. I shouldn't have left you alone there."

I heard a sound that sounded like a thousand birds screaming at the top of their lungs, and turned to see Kakashi, the tall, silver haired man, directing what looked like a ball of lightning at Zabuza.

"S-Shit!" I exclaimed, leaping up and running towards them at top speed.

I couldn't make it in time.

The sickening sound of blood spattering echoes in my head even still today... but it wasn't Zabuza's blood.

Haku stood, covered in blood, with Kakashi's lightning hand lodged in his chest. I shrieked as Zabuza lifted his sword to hack through Haku to hit Kakashi. Kakashi took Haku and leapt away, laying the boy on the ground and closing his eyes.

"NO!" I said. "He's not dead! Not yet, I can heal him!" I cried, running towards him. I collapsed on the ground next to him, taking his hand. "Haku... you're still alive..."

He let out a shaky breath.

"Haku!" I cried, laying my head on his chest. "I promised you'd make it out of here... I keep my promises, remember?" I said.

I was suddenly surrounded by white light, holding the bloody Haku in my arms. A great white wolf stood before me.

"You wish to heal him?" She said.

"Can you?!" I exclaimed, tears still running down my face.

"Yes." she said, closing her eyes. Haku began to glow a light blue color, and his wounds disappeared, though his clothes were still bloody.

"Haku..." I whispered, cupping his cheek in my hand. As his chocolate eyes slowly opened, the light faded, and the real world formed around us.

"H-Haydn...?" He whispered.

"Haku..." I said, pressing my lips to his. It lasted a little while, but then we had to break for air.

"I died... how am I here?" he asked.

"A very kind wolf brought you back." I said.

"I-" He was cut off when we heard the sound of metal cutting flesh.

"Zabuza!" we said in unison. He attempted to stand, but fell back.

"Haku!" I cried, kneeling by his side.

"Zabuza... he's going to... I have to-"

"You don't have to do anything. You CAN'T do anything. You shouldn't be moving." I cut him off.

Zabuza soon collapsed, dead.

"Zabuza..." Haku said, tears welling in his eyes. "Wh-what will I do...?" He asked, looking at me. "He...took care of me...he fed me, clothed me, gave me a home...how...how am I gonna live?"

"Hey..." the blonde kid that Haku had fought earlier walked up. "I dunno how you're alive, but... you can come live with me. I mean, I live alone anyways... it'd be nice to have someone to talk to." He said.

"I live alone too." The raven-haired boy said. "The place is huge...I guess you could come with me..." He grumbled.

"You... you're very kind." He smiled at them. "Thank you."

"Where will you go...?" I asked.

"...I'll go with them, but I think I'll see if I can't get my own place." Haku replied. I kissed him again.

"Be safe, okay?" I said.

"I was never meant for the life of a Shinobi... for a life of killing... I think... I'll start a shop. Or a cafe." He said. "I'll be fine."

I rested my head against his neck, under his chin. He rested his head on mine.

"...AWWW!!!" Miranda cooed. "So CUTE!"

"Shut up." I muttered, cuddling closer. He put an arm around me.

"...You're leaving soon." He said.

"How did you know?!" I asked, pulling back to look at him.

"The way you're acting. We won't see each other for a long time, if ever, will we?" He asked.

"...probably not." I answered, hanging my head.

"Then... this is goodbye." He said sadly.

I pressed myself closer to him. "It's never goodbye... it's hello." I smiled. "I'll always be right here." I said, pointing at his chest, where his heart was.

"You will." He said. "And I'll always be with you."

"Well then, good-bye, Haku." I say.

"No." He said. "It's hello, remember?" He smiled.

"Well, then, hello." I smiled back.

"HELLO!" We all called.

Hello.


	10. Chapter 10 Experiments

I felt it again. The Eternal Darkness swirling around me, smothering me...

"Help me... Please, someone!" I called.

That hand was over my own once again, and warmth flooded my body. Beautiful aqua eyes stared into my hazel ones, and I gaped.

"Who are you? You were here last time, too!" I said.

I woke up in a futon, in a tatami room. I sat up, holding the blanket close. Wherever I was, it was winter. I saw Miranda in the futon next to me, and Alphonse a little further away.

A boy wearing the black kimono came in, carrying a tray of medicine. He had short black hair, a few inches above his shoulders, and his blue eyes were shy, introverted. He walked tentatively, and kept his head low. "O-Oh! You're up! Hell-OOH!" He said, tripping over nothing in particular.

"Um... hello!" I said, smiling.

"M-my name is Yamada Hanatarou. If you need anything, just call me, okay? I'll be right here!" He said happily.

"Thanks alot, Hanatarou-kun. Do you know a boy named Hitsugaya Toushiro?" I asked, remembering my first visit to the Soul Society.

"Th-the tenth division captain?! Yes, I know him, but... how do you?" He stuttered.

"I've been here before... tell him Hayley needs to see him." I said.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Hanatarou said, running towards the Tenth Division Barracks.

Destiny curled up on my lap and shut her eyes, going to sleep. I closed my eyes as well, but for concentration. Who was that... holding my hand? And why do I only see him on the way to Soul Society...? I was confused. I looked over at Miranda and Alphonse. Was I the only one who saw the beautiful eyes, who felt the warmth of the hand on mine?

Destiny shifted positions, snapping my out of my thoughts. I reached down and petted her soft fur, comforting her.

"U-uh, M-Miss Elric...?" Hanatarou stuttered.

"Oh, please, call me Haydn." I said. "We're friends."

"Y-yes ma'am."

"Drop the Ma'am."

"Yes M- I mean, okay." He finally said. "The captain will be with you momentarily."

"Thanks, Hana!" I said.

"You're ... welcome?" He said, confused.

"...what?" I asked.

"Are you sane?" He asked me.

"Yes, I am PERFECTLY... why?" I asked.

"No one's really that nice to me, 'cept Ichigo and Ganju. The Captains are nice, but that's another story." He said.

Now that I noticed, a nice, round, fist-shaped bruise was forming over his eye.

"Is that why you took so long?" I asked.

"I-I'm sorry!" He exclaimed.

"It's nothing to apologize about, it's not your fault." I said, a little surprised. "Why are you apologizing? You don't need to."

"But it IS my fault!" He said.

"How is that?" I asked.

"Because... because I'm me." He said sadly.

"They pick on you... for being you?" I said, utterly shocked.

"For EVERYTHING!" He exclaimed. "I'm clumsy, I'm stupid, I'm slow, and I'm in the way!"

"They... they're not the kinda people I'd be hanging around." I said. "If that's what they do in their spare time, then they need a hobby. Really."

"Picking on me is their hobby." Hana said, sighing.

"If they're doing stuff like this..." I said, running my fingers over the bruise over his eye. "... then it's a lot more than just picking on you. Why don't you stand up for yourself?"

"...I'm weak. I'm seventh seat, in the fourth division. I heal people, I can't do any damage. If I even try, they'd break my arms." He said.

"...Hana..." I began, standing up. "These people... they're lower ranked than you?"

"Well, most of them are, Ikkaku and Yumichika-"

"Then stand up for yourself! Fight back! There's nothing to be afraid of! You're higher rank, you have authority over them. If they start picking on you, tell them to stop! If they don't, report them to their captain, I'm SURE the CAPTAIN will punish them!" I exclaimed. "Stop standing around, stand up for yourself, Hana! For yourself, for others like you, and... for me... I HATE seeing my friends get hurt... so please do it. For me." I finished.

"B-but... I can't..."

His answer enraged me, and I lifted my hand to strike him myself. But I saw how he cowered, how he hid behind his hands and hunched over to protect himself, and instead hugged him.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"...Should I leave you two alone?" came a voice from the doorway.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" Hanatarou and I exclaimed in unison.

"'Bout time, Toshiro." I said.

"Don't call me that!" He snapped.

"Can I call ya' Shiro?" I asked.

"HELL NO!" He yelled.

I chuckled. "Shiro it is, then."

He muttered something incoherently under his breath and sat on the futon next to me. "What are you doing back in the Seireitei?"

"Blame the Mayoke." I said, pointing to the amulet on my neck.

"Ah." He said. "Been a year already, and you still have absolutely no control over it, huh?" He said.

"Well..." I began. "In the last world we were in... I boy I met had been mortally wounded... then this weird, pure light surrounded us, and a white wolf appeared and healed him. When he woke up, we were in the real world again." I said. "Does... does that have anything to do with the Mayoke?"

Hitsugaya stared at me in shock. "You... awakened the spirit inside the Mayoke." He exclaimed. "Only high-level Soul Reapers can do that!"

Miranda shifted in her sleep. "Soul...rapers..." She muttered.

I laughed. "REAPERS, Miranda, not rapers." I muttered to myself.

"She's strange." Hitsugaya said.

"You have NO idea. " I said.

"I can imagine." Hitsugaya mumbled. "That's not the point here. I'm..." He paused, a guilty look on his face. "I'm sending you to the Twelfth Division for analysis. Either you're another Kurosaki, or... something else..." He said. "I'll contact Captain Kurotsuchi immediately."

"Oh!" Hanatarou interjected. "Captain, please, allow me!"

"...Alright. Be careful passing the Eleventh Division." Hitsugaya said.

"...You heard all that?" Hanatarou asked, a look of slight shame on his face.

"Yes. You should have reported to your Captain as soon as it started." Hitsugaya said sternly.

"I would have, but... I don't want to be a burden. Really, it's okay." Hanatarou said, walking out the sliding door entrance. "Be back soon."

Hitsugaya hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked.

"Kurotsuchi... isn't a very RESPONSIBLE scientist. He's known to do some pretty cruel things to his test subjects." Hitsugaya said. "Let me know if he does anything out of line. I'll whoop his ass in a minute flat."

I laughed. "Thanks, Captain."

"What happened to Shiro?" He asked.

"You WANT me to call you Shiro?" I asked deviously.

"...No thanks." He said.

A girl with long, black, braided hair walked in, her Shihakusho forming a short skirt instead of the usual hakama pants.

"Miss Elric?" she asked, looking at me.

"Haydn, please. May I know your name?" I asked.

"Kurotsuchi Nemu, vice-captain of the Twelfth Division. My captain has sent me to fetch you." She said, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry."

"Vice-Captain." Hitsugaya said. "Tell your captain that if he does anything cruel, unusual or out of line to Haydn, then he'll have to answer to me." He growled. "And he will NOT like it."

"I'll deliver your message, Captain Hitsugaya." She said. Then, she turned to me. "Please come with me."

Hitsugaya looked at me. "Be careful." He mouthed as I walked out of the building.

"So... Miss Nemu, is it?" I asked. "When this is over, you wanna be friends?" I asked.

She stopped walking and looked at me in pure shock. Then, a genuine smile spread across her face. "Sure." She said.

"AAHH! Ikkaku, stop, please!" I heard Hanatarou cry.

"If you'll excuse me for JUST a moment, I'll be right back..." I said, running in the direction of the scream. I saw a bald man gripping Hanatarou by his hair, and swinging him around. I began to run, then leaped into the air and delivered a flying kick to the side of the bald man's head, effectively knocking him about ten feet away from Hanatarou.

"Son of a... WHO DID THAT?!" He howled.

Laughter came from behind me, and I turned to see a handsome man with black hair, in a bowl cut, with feathers attached to his eyelashed. "She GOT you, Ikkaku! She's not even a Soul Re-" The man stopped laughing. "...you're not a Soul Reaper... who are you, and why are you in the Seireitei?"

"Long story. I'd appreciate it if you'd back off my friend." I said, glaring at the two.

"Why should we do that?" Ikkaku said, lifting me by the back of my shirt. "Little Brat."

I clenched my fists. "You just made two big mistakes, Baldy." I said.

"Wha?!"

"First... you beat up my friend... and second..." I swung my foot around and kicked Ikkaku in the side of the face, knocking him away from me and into a wall. His friend dove for me and I jumped, stomping on his head and pushing his face into the ground. "You SERIOUSLY underestimated me." I said, getting off the black-haired man to help Hanatarou up.

"Haydn!" He cheered. "That was AMAZING!"

"My brothers taught me self-defense." I said. "You'd better be heading back to your division."

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing those two later..." He muttered, walking back to the Fourth Division.

Nemu walked up. "Wow, Miss Elric, that was really something."

"I told ya', call me Haydn." I said. "We'd better get going."

"Yes." Nemu said. "The Captain isn't patient, and has a bad temper on him. It could be a deadly mistake to get him angry."

I shuddered and followed Nemu to the Twelfth Division.

The next two weeks were a living hell.

Scalpels, knifes, pills and needles poked and prodded, with only pain killers to ease the pain. No anesthetics, no, they needed me awake during surgeries. I was terrified. Nemu would help to comfort me, and she only helped with the surgeries once, and she was very gentle. Finally, it was over.

"Nemu, report our findings to the Tenth Captain immediately." Captain Kurotsuchi ordered. "Make haste!" He turned to me. "How do you feel?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" I asked.

He cackled maniacally and walked away. Hitsugaya rushed in.

"You're... a Soul Reaper?!" He exclaimed. "How... why didn't you tell me?!"

"Hell, _I _didn't know I was a Soul Reaper!" I exclaimed. "According to Captain Kurotsuchi, I was sent on a mission to the world of the living, but was given a defective gigai. It drained my reiatsu, and I was trapped in the mortal body. Then I fell, hit my head and lost all my memories." I said.

"Were you a seated officer?" Hitsugaya asked.

"I don't know!" I said. "You think I know any of this?!" I said. "I know the sword's name. That's it."

"What is it? And do you know it's abilities? Do you know Shikai?" He demanded.

"...do I know what?" I asked, confused.

"Well, that answers THAT question." Hitsugaya mumbled.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, I'm here to pick up my test re-" A feminine voice rang out. The girl stopped speaking, and I turned to look at her.

There, in the doorway, stood Miranda's sister, Kirby.


	11. Chapter 11 Gone

There in the doorway was Miranda's sister, Kirby.

"K-Kirby?!" I exclaimed.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" She yelled. "You shouldn't be here!"

"What do you mean, what am I doing here? Miranda and I have spent the last year and a half looking for YOUR sorry ass!" I yelled.

She visibly stiffened. "You shouldn't be here. Go home."

"I can't go home, dammit, I'm a freakin' SOUL REAPER now!" I yelled.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "How?!"

"I've been this way for a while... trapped in a gigai." I said. "Don't worry. Miranda's alive and well."

"Kirby?" came a voice. "What are you doing?"

A boy with black hair walked in, wearing a shihakusho. "Kirby? What's wrong?"

"Miranda's here." She said.

"WHAT?!" He exclaimed. "No! She's not... dead, is she? Or is she a ryoka?"

"She's alive and well." I said to him. "Who're you?"

"Wakaoji Kouiji, I'm one of Miranda's brothers." He said. "Who are you, might I ask?"

"Haydn Elric. I'm her best friend." I said. "Exactly how many siblings does she have?"

"Four. Kirby, Me, Koji, our brother, and Lucy, our sister." Kouiji answered.

"Perhaps this isn't the BEST place to discuss this." Hitsugaya said, a little annoyed. "Let's head to Tenth Division barracks. I'll set up some lunch, and we'll talk there. I'll get Alphonse and Miranda." He said.

"NO!" Kirby exclaimed. "You can't-"

"I said, I'm going to get Alphonse and Miranda. Head over to the barracks, now. That's an order." Hitsugaya said sternly.

"...Yes, captain." Kirby said quietly.

The walk over there was quiet, until just before we got there.

"Hey, Ikkaku, it's that chick!" The black-haired man called.

"Is that so?" Ikkaku said, walking up. "What's with the shihakusho? You a Soul Reaper now?" He asked, grabbing my arm. Instinctively, I swung my leg up to kick his face. He caught it in one hand.

"Fool me once, shame one you, fool me twice..." He threw me across the courtyard. "I'll kick your ass!" He said, drawing his zanpakuto.

"Ikkaku." The black haired said. "Now you're going too far."

"Shut up, Yumichika!" Ikkaku yelled. "This isn't your fight."

I smirked. "Alright... I've been itching to try this thing out..." I said, drawing my Zanpakuto. "Tobu... Kurayami no Gufuu!" I called. My Zanpakuto formed a second blade, attached to the hilt by a small hinge. I swung it, and several water clones formed. I ran amongst them, hoping to confuse Ikkaku. They all leapt at him, swinging their swords, but he blocked all of them, then charged at the real me. I jumped above him and swung at his head, but he ducked. Suddenly, he was behind me, and pushed me to the ground.

"Gotcha." He said. "Don't mess with the Division Twelve Third seat, Madarame Ikkaku!" He yelled triumphantly.

I squirmed under his grip, and he took hold of my shoulder.

"Where're ya goin', brat? I'm not done with you, in fact, I'm just warmin' up!" He said, sheathing his sword and lifting his fist. I blocked it, catching his fist in one hand and trying to kick him off, but to no avail. He raised his other fist, when.

"Ikkaku!" Yumichika yelled. "That's enough."

"Yumichika!" Ikkaku yelled at the man "You st-"

Yumichika yanked the bald man off me by his wrist and helped me up. "Normally, I wouldn't interfere, but I sense a captain's reiatsu coming." He said to Ikkaku. He looked back at me. "No hard feelings, eh?" He said, flashing a smile that would make any normal girl's heart beat out of her chest.

"Y-yeah. No hard feelings." I said, rubbing my arm. "Ow... damn, that sword's heavy in shikai!"

Yumichika chuckled. "We should all hang out sometime, go for a drink, or lunch, or something. What do ya' say?" He asked.

"Some other time, maybe." I said. "Sounds good."

"Good. See ya' around?" He said.

"I guess. Later!" I called as the friends walked off. "Oh, and Ikkaku!"

He turned around, a frown creasing his face as he glared. "What?!"

"Sorry about all that, okay? You're a great fighter, really! You're really strong! We'll hang out, or train sometime, okay?" I yelled.

He seemed to lighten up at this. "Yeah. Lemme know when, okay?"

"Okay! Later!" I called.

"Bye!" And they left.

"What was all that?" Kouiji asked.

"About two weeks ago, I kicked his ass for beating up Hanatarou. He was sore, so he wanted to get back at me." I said. "Well, he did."

"Hanatarou again?" Kouiji sighed. "Poor guy."

"You know him?" I asked.

"I'm eighth seat in his division, one seat below him." Kouiji said. "I watch him get beat up all the time. Whenever I try to help, though, Captain Unohana, or Vice Captain Kotetsu calls me, and I have to answer them. I can't help." Kouiji said. "It's depressing."

"Oh." I said. "Sorry..."

"So... that was YOU I saw kick Ikkaku in the face two weeks ago?" Kouiji asked.

I laughed. "That was you sweeping the Fourth Division's deck, who's jaw dropped when I kicked him into the wall?"

"Yeah, that was before I got promoted to eighth seat." Kouiji laughed. "I was the one who had to patch those two up after you pummeled them."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I apologized.

"Naw, it's fine. The only problem I had was trying to contain my laughter when I bandaged them up." He said. "That was FUNNY!"

"Are we done with the small talk!?" Kirby said grumpily.

Kouiji gazed at her, confused. "Wow, Kirby, you only get angry when you're... Did you have sake with Rangiku again?"

"…She got drunk again?!" Hitsugaya said from behind us. "MATSUMOTO!!" He yelled.

"What's up, Captain?" She asked soberly from the doorway. "I did the paperwork this time."

"Sake. Now." He demanded, holding his hand out.

"What?! Why? I'm not drinking!" She cried, throwing her arms up.

"Now." He growled.

"Captain… you said you'd bring Miranda and Al." I said.

"They're on their way." He said. "Let's go in and sit down."

"Sounds good." I said.

Kirby grunted in disapproval.

After sitting a while in Captain Hitsugaya's office, Miranda and Alphonse walked in. Miranda's eyes widened at the sight of her sister.

"Kirby…" She said, running over to her. "I missed you! Where did you go?!" She howled, hugging her. Then, she abruptly hit her over the head. "Don't EVER do that again."

Kouiji walked back into the room from a visit to the restroom. "Miranda? Oh, crap."

Miranda gasped. "Oh, not you too, Kouiji!" She leapt toward him.

"SAVE ME!" He yelled, reaching towards me. I giggled.

"Why did you avoid us?" Miranda asked after a huge family reunion.

"I didn't want you guys to worry. I wanted to prove that I can take care of myself." Kirby said, hanging her head. "Renji doesn't seem to think so…"

"Renji?" I asked.

"Ooh!" Miranda squealed. "You've got a crush!"

"NO!" Kirby yelled. "It's not like that!"

Kouiji cocked his head. "But you said-"

"NO I DIDN'T!" Kirby interjected.

"What did she say?" Miranda asked.

"She said that it was really hard to stop thinking about him, and she has dreams about him every nig-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Kirby cried, blushing.

"No, I don't think it's anywhere NEAR enough." Said a male's voice from the doorway.

"…Renji…" Kirby squeaked.

"Damn right!" Renji yelled, smiling.

"What's up, Red?" I said, referring to his hair.

"Don't call me that!" He growled. "I heard that you and Miranda were back in the Seireitei, and came to check it out. I overheard Kirby's love confession from through the wall."

"Technically, it was Kouiji confessing for her." Miranda laughed. Her head then snapped to where Kirby was trying to sneak out of the room. "Where do you think YOU'RE goin'?" She laughed.

Kirby froze. "…back to Captain Ukitake?" She muttered, blushing, and avoiding Renji's gaze.

"…Uki…Ta…ke?" I stuttered.

"You know him?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah, he was her Captain, according to Captain Kurotsuchi." Renji said.

"Well, go pay him a visit, Haydn, I'll be waiting for you here." Hitsugaya said.

"Thanks, Captian." I said, walking out the door. Renji followed me out, and I shot him a funny look. "Why are you following me?"

"I'm gonna go ask Rukia for advice." Renji said, looking down at his feet. "She's in the 13th division. That's Ukitake's, if you don't remember." He said.

"13th, huh? I love that number…" I muttered to myself.

"Isn't it bad luck, though?" Renji asked.

"Nah, not really. That's one reason why it's my favorite number." I said, grinning.

Renji gave me a funny look, then just smiled and shook his head. "Here. This is the 13th division barracks. Let's drop in and see how the captain's feeling."

"OH, HE'S GREAT! JUST GREAT TODAY! TODAY!" screamed a high, drunken voice.

"Kiyone, you drunk." Renji muttered, slamming his palm to his forehead.

"Captain's okaaaay today! Captain feels-"

"That's enough, Kiyone." said a deep voice.

In the doorway stood a tall man, proud, but thin with age and illness. His frail white hair reached his mid-back, and his chocolate eyes were warm, smiling, however tired they were. His arms were thin and fragile looking, but built with muscles anyways.

It was Juushiro Ukitake.

"Vice-Captain Abarai, what a surprise. I expect you wish to see Rukia? She in the training grounds." He said.

"Yes, I came to see her, but someone is also here to see you. She has lost all her memories, so I advise against trying to reminisce." Renji said, bowing.

"Ah, who's this?" Ukitake asked Renji, bending to inspect me.

"I-I'm Haydn Elric, sir, but I was previously known to the Seireitei as Sakamoto Hanako." I said nervously, bowing my head.

"Hana…ko?" He asked, his eyes widening. "It's… it's been at least 45 years since you left for that mission! Not after Kaien died, no, you left before that! 45 years… wow, how the time flies!" He laughed. "Come, come, we must catch up!"

"Uh… yes…sir?" I mumbled as I followed him into the building.

"So, how have you been, Hanako? Has the world of the living been good to you?" He asked.

"Uh… yeah… I-I was known there as Hayley Nelson. Well, on Earth I was, in Amestris, I was Haydn Marie Elric. I was born in Miami…"

Hours went by as we talked about the past 45 years. I remembered Rukia, and Kiyone, and how Ukitake had tuberculosis.

"Well, it's getting late. I know we could both use some rest." Captain Ukitake smiled at me. "Will you stay in the 13th Division's barracks tonight? Or shall I have Kiyone escort you to Captain Hitsugaya?"

"I'll stay here, if it isn't any trouble." I said.

"Not at all! In fact, your room is still there. We didn't give it to any new recruits, in hope that you'd return." He said.

"Oh, thank you… but you really didn't have to do that." I said.

"It's alright!" He insisted. "It's your room, after all."

"Thanks… Captain…"

"But your training starts again first thing tomorrow!" He yelled.

"Y-Yessir!" I said, standing up a bit straighter. "And sir? I don't quite remember… did I have a seat in the division?"

"Yes." He said. "You were Fifth. But you'll have to earn it back. I know you remembered your Shikai, which is a good start, but you'll need to relearn the Kido, and fighting techniques. It would take a while for most, but since you already know all of it, it should be like riding a bike. Now, get to bed. You've got a long day tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Captain Ukitake!" I called.

He had been right about two things : One, it was all like riding a bike, and was able to recall all the Kido. But, number two: The next day was a living nightmare.

I had been assigned to train with Rukia Kuchiki, whom I had apparently been friends with during Academy days. It was good to see her, and I remembered a lot. She helped me relearn fighting techniques, which was no easy task.

"What's the matter?" She taunted. "Lost your touch?"

"Along with my memories!" I called. "Take it easy! No-" I said " -I take it back. Give it all you've got." I said.

"Alright!" She yelled, smirking. "THAT'S the Hanako I know!"

"Tobu…. Kurayami no Gufuu!" I cried, activating Shikai. I created several water clones and charged at Rukia.

She leapt up, trying to get out of reach, but I jumped up off one of the clones and nicked her cheek, creating a shallow gash.

"Ouch." She said, landing.

I didn't hesitate. I charged back at her, swinging my sword harshly, creating cracks in hers. I slipped through her guard and sliced her side.

"Looks like you finally won." She said as I helped her up. "Ukitake will be proud."

"RUKIA!" Renji called. "It's an emergency!"

"Yeah, Renji, what is it?!" Rukia yelled.

"Wakaoji Kouiji was sent on a mission to the world of the living, and did not return. We have unconfirmed reports of Arrancar in the area, and believe that he's been kidnapped!"


End file.
